


Seen Again

by KazueEmiko



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Character Death, Disability, F/F, Ghosts, Medical Conditions, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:40:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22915654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazueEmiko/pseuds/KazueEmiko
Summary: After the war, Byleth and Edelgard retreated to a cottage for their retirement. However, something seems fishy between Edelgard and Byleth's interactions...
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 14
Kudos: 87





	Seen Again

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sorry.

Five years of political tension between the three nations, the Church of Seiros at the center of attention, had finally ended on a victorious note for the Adrestian Empire. And it was all thanks to Byleth. Had she stayed in a coma or, worse, died, Edelgard admitted that the war would have remained deadlocked for eternity.

There would be no winners, and there would be no losers. A tormenting cycle full of bloodshed and agony. It would be living Hell. However, it was pointless to mull over alternate fates for their past.

What matters was the present.

Yet there was one little problem after they had retired from their duties…

Edelgard leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed, watching her wife in the kitchen. Inside a cottage far from the heart of the Adrestian Empire, the gentle moon lit the dark kitchen, accompanied by a nearby pot full of bubbling stew. Byleth, in her apron, stirred the stew with a ladle, occasionally stepping back to wipe her sweat. As she added a pinch of salt to the pot, Edelgard called her.

“Hey, Byleth?”

“…”

Byleth did not respond, her eyes locked on the meal with a frown. Edelgard chuckled. She could understand that desire to concentrate. Rather than call out to her again, the retired emperor approached the teal-haired woman and examined the stew.

Proteins. Vegetables. Carbohydrates. On the side, there were a couple of oranges on the counter, an empty glass cup next to them. Edelgard took a whiff, then pleasantly hummed. She glanced at Byleth.

“It smells delicious.”

Byleth paused. She slowly turned to her right, looking at Edelgard.

“…”

Edelgard smiled. “I bet it tastes good.” Byleth cocked her head. Then, she moistened her lips and returned to the pot, a small smile spotted.

“I think you would like it.”

“I think so too.”

Byleth grabbed a bowl from the cabinet. Using the ladle, she poured it, chunks of chicken, celery, and potatoes floating in the dark stew. The ex-mercenary placed it on the counter. She reached for the cabinet again, but she froze halfway. Edelgard bitterly smiled as Byleth slowly retracted her hand.

“Am I eating by myself again?” Byleth murmured.

Edelgard nodded. “Yes.”

“…”

That was the end of their discussion. Edelgard watched her teacher prepare the last few steps of dinner, creating orange juice, and walking to the dining room. She followed afterward, hands behind her back.

Dinner was short. There was no communication, save it for the comments and remarks left hanging. Edelgard lovingly stared at her wife, her lilac hues soaking in the details.

Byleth had always eaten with her left hand. When she munched her bread, bits of it resided from the corner of her mouth. A sip of her fruity drink for every five bites. She would never look up from her meal, her eyes trained on the hearty stew she’s made from scratch. And that made Edelgard smile so very wide.

“Grrk!”

There were also times when she winced, wheezing and gripping her chest, the stew splattered on the mats. Edelgard shot up from her seat as Byleth crumbled to the ground, tears threatening to spill. Byleth squeezed her eyes shut as her heart skipped beats for prolonged periods. Edelgard rested her hand on Byleth’s, noticing her wife impressing hard against her chest.

Byleth’s heart miraculously came back to life right after defeating Rhea, the Crest of Flames no longer in place as a pacemaker. It was a miracle Edelgard prayed relentlessly for. Even to Sothis.

And it was granted.

But complications followed shortly afterward. Heart attacks, arrhythmia, severe chest pains, tingling, and numbness were common traits for Byleth. It didn’t help that it had gotten progressively worse the older they became, each year potentially becoming her last.

Edelgard squeezed Byleth’s hand, her head lowered. There was nothing they could do.

“I’m… I’m okay,” Byleth said in a hoarse voice. Drenched in sweat, the ex-mercenary slowly drew her eyes to Edelgard. “I’m okay. I’m…”

She did not finish her sentence. She ended up losing consciousness on the dining floor, next to the puddle of unfinished stew. After checking for her vitals and respiration, Edelgard stayed next to her wife, watching over her. Her hand rubbed Byleth’s scarred arms, the corner of her lips pulled down.

“I’m sorry you have to suffer so much,” she shook her head. “I wish I could take you to a doctor…”

They were not poor. They were the opposite of that. She was not weak either, having carried Byleth many times in the past. Edelgard grimaced and looked outside. The problem was access to healthcare in this remote area. Even if she did run with Byleth over her shoulders, it would not only look ridiculous, but it would be detrimental to her wife’s health.

“I could get Mercedes or Linhardt, but…”

She could not get them. They would not arrive on time.

Edelgard cursed under her breath and balled her other hand into a fist.

“Is there really nothing I could do for you?” she whispered. “Even when I’m like this?”

The young woman broke out into a sob, burying her face into Byleth’s chest. At that same moment, Byleth’s eyelids fluttered open.

Her vision blurred. She tried to blink a few times. The blur was still there. Byleth dryly swallowed and, with a groan, sat up, hand pressed against her chest. She took a deep breath. Her heart was still beating at an abnormal tempo. Byleth’s lip drew to a line and crawled back to her feet.

“…guess I’m done with dinner.”

Byleth’s appetite disappeared entirely after that attack. She cleaned up the mess that spilled on the floor, chair, and table, placing the utensils into the sink. A dizzying spell slammed into her. Byleth pressed against her temple, grabbing ahold of the counter. The poor woman stumbled around as darkness clouded her vision. Then, her fingers slipped from the counter.

“Ah—"

She fell to the floor with a loud thump.

“Ugh…”

Byleth immediately sat up and shook her head. The dizziness had gone away. With a small sigh, she stood up and brushed her pants. Then, she returned to the dining room.

“…?”

She squinted. Then, her eyes widened.

“El…?”

Edelgard stood on the opposite side of the room, rubbing her swollen eyes. When she heard her name called out, the white-haired woman jumped. Edelgard placed a hand over her chest and bent down. Byleth immediately closed their distance. Once Edelgard straightened her back, Byleth pulled her into a crushing hug.

“El...! It’s really you!”

“You— but how?” she squeaked.

Edelgard glanced over her wife’s shoulder as she squirmed. There, in the kitchen, an outstretched arm was spotted. She shifted her gaze to Byleth, who still hugged her. Edelgard smiled with a hint of bitterness.

“So that’s how you can see me…”

It was a lonely year for Edelgard, but with Byleth back by her side, it wasn’t so lonely anymore.


End file.
